PA23 pilot has an airborne conflict during approach to landing at eyw.

Attributes
ACN	726718
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eyw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : eyw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	726718
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was handed off from key west navy approach to a visual to land at eyw international. I was VFR with flight following. I had a code. Tower said join mid left downwind for runway 9. I did. I was about 7 mi out. When about 3 mi; tower said 'do not descend below 1000 ft.' I agreed. They did not tell me why. I then was asked if I was aiming for the correct airport. I said I was and I was. I turned downwind. Just before base; tower said; clear to land. I turned base and started a descent. On base tower 'yelled' at me because I did not maintain 1000 ft. I asked how I could land and maintain 1000 ft. They then said I had waco traffic 300 ft below me. They then cleared me to land. I then saw the waco. The waco is a sight-seeing plane and frequently does very short flts with tourists. I wonder how you can be clear to land and maintain 1000 ft. They should have told me why they wanted me at 1000 ft and should have warned me about the waco.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23 PLT HAS AN AIRBORNE CONFLICT DURING APCH TO LNDG AT EYW.

Narrative: I WAS HANDED OFF FROM KEY WEST NAVY APCH TO A VISUAL TO LAND AT EYW INTL. I WAS VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING. I HAD A CODE. TWR SAID JOIN MID L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9. I DID. I WAS ABOUT 7 MI OUT. WHEN ABOUT 3 MI; TWR SAID 'DO NOT DSND BELOW 1000 FT.' I AGREED. THEY DID NOT TELL ME WHY. I THEN WAS ASKED IF I WAS AIMING FOR THE CORRECT ARPT. I SAID I WAS AND I WAS. I TURNED DOWNWIND. JUST BEFORE BASE; TWR SAID; CLR TO LAND. I TURNED BASE AND STARTED A DSCNT. ON BASE TWR 'YELLED' AT ME BECAUSE I DID NOT MAINTAIN 1000 FT. I ASKED HOW I COULD LAND AND MAINTAIN 1000 FT. THEY THEN SAID I HAD WACO TFC 300 FT BELOW ME. THEY THEN CLRED ME TO LAND. I THEN SAW THE WACO. THE WACO IS A SIGHT-SEEING PLANE AND FREQUENTLY DOES VERY SHORT FLTS WITH TOURISTS. I WONDER HOW YOU CAN BE CLR TO LAND AND MAINTAIN 1000 FT. THEY SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME WHY THEY WANTED ME AT 1000 FT AND SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME ABOUT THE WACO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.